Book excerpt: Groundwater treatment is unique. Removing the sources of contamination, as we did when we cleaned a river or lake, is only the first step. A groundwater remediation must include cleaning of the body of water itself, the aquifer. The revised and updated edition of Groundwater Treatment Technology provides a complete review of the technologies developed over the past 10 years for groundwater treatment. It also explains the design techniques that are required to apply those technologies successfully in a groundwater cleanup. Featured areas of coverage include: Specific design methods for the various technologies that are merely described in other publications Physical/chemical and treatability properties of 30 organic compounds that are most often encountered in groundwater situations Detailed strategies for remediation New biological treatment methods Specific data on treatment methods as applied in the field Practical suggestions on applications of technologies for groundwater treatment Drawing on his experience as a designer of over 100 groundwater treatment systems, Evan K. Nyer starts by showing how to develop the data necessary to define what type of treatment is necessary. He then explains how groundwater treatment is unique. Nyer follows with expert accounts of specific treatment technologies. Physical/chemical organic methods such as air stripping, carbon adsorption, and pure compound removal are explored in detail. In addition, new techniques including UV Oxidation and other emerging technologies are explained and directly related to groundwater design situations. An entire chapter is devoted to biological methods, one of the most promising areas for organic groundwater treatment. There is also comprehensive coverage of inorganic methods, that addresses everything from precipitation to solids/liquid separation and advanced ion removal methods. This definitive sourcebook also contains helpful cost factor analyses, plus representative case histories showing how the techniques of groundwater treatment have been applied in the field. Wide-ranging, authoritative, and completely updated, the Second Edition of Groundwater Treatment Technology is essential reading for wastewater engineers, industrial managers, hydrologists, soil experts, government officials, and environmental lawyers who want to keep abreast of the latest developments in this important field.